Name: Salade Niçoise sans Anchois (Vegetarian Niçoise Salad)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 head of Boston or butter lettuce, leaves separated and washed; 4 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges; 1 small red onion, thinly sliced; 1/2 lb (225g) green beans, trimmed and blanched; 8 small new potatoes, boiled until tender and sliced; 4 hard-boiled eggs, quartered; 1/2 cup black Niçoise olives; 2 cans of tuna in olive oil, drained and flaked; Extra-virgin olive oil, for dressing; Red wine vinegar, for dressing; Dijon mustard, for dressing; Salt and pepper to taste; Fresh basil or parsley, for garnish

Salade Niçoise doesn’t really depend on any one ingredient to make its point. Even without the anchovies, it still carries that same sense of place—something bright, relaxed, almost sunlit in the way it comes together. It’s less about what’s included or left out, and more about how everything sits on the plate.

You don’t rush into mixing it. You lay it out instead, letting each element keep its own space. Tomatoes still holding their juices, green beans with a bit of resistance, potatoes soft but intact, eggs just set, the yolk somewhere between creamy and firm. Nothing complicated, nothing overworked—just ingredients treated properly.

It doesn’t need to be exact.

A few olives, a vinaigrette that stays light and sharp, just enough to tie everything together without weighing it down. You don’t coat it, you don’t hide it. You let it stay what it is—fresh, clean, and a little bit structured without feeling rigid.

That’s where it works best.

It’s not a dish you overthink once it’s in front of you. It feels balanced without trying, simple without feeling plain, the kind of plate that immediately makes sense the moment you start eating it.

CategoryAppetizers & Starters, French, Salads, Salads & DressingsDifficultyBeginner

Yields4 Servings

Prep Time20 minsCook Time20 minsTotal Time40 mins

1 head of Boston or butter lettuce, leaves separated and washed

4 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 lb (225g) green beans, trimmed and blanched

8 small new potatoes, boiled until tender and sliced

4 hard-boiled eggs, quartered

1/2 cup black Niçoise olives

2 cans of tuna in olive oil, drained and flaked

Extra-virgin olive oil, for dressing

Red wine vinegar, for dressing

Dijon mustard, for dressing

Salt and pepper to taste

Fresh basil or parsley, for garnish

Prepare the Vegetables:

Arrange the lettuce leaves on a large platter as the base.
Scatter the tomato wedges, sliced red onion, green beans, and sliced potatoes over the lettuce.

Add Eggs, Tuna, and Olives:

Arrange the hard-boiled egg quarters, flaked tuna, and Niçoise olives on top of the salad.

Dressing:

In a small bowl, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, a touch of Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper to taste. Adjust the quantities based on your preference.
Drizzle the dressing over the salad just before serving.

Garnish and Serve:

Garnish with fresh basil or parsley. Serve the salad with fresh crusty bread if desired.

Ingredients